Low hematocrit, hemoglobin, and RBC count on blast cycle

[nothuman]

I'm 5 1/2 weeks into a blast and my hematocrit is only 43. I used prop/tren-a/anadrol. I would consider that low.

 

[RamboStallone]

Any dark chocolate, coffee or tea?

Yes sorry forgot to mention things I drink. Coffee daily, every morning at work. Sometimes hot tea, maybe once every week or two not very often. I also drink stuff like coke zero, unsweetened ice tea, water, or something like a powerade or vitamin water with lunch, dinner, etc.

 

[Stewie]

Yes sorry forgot to mention things I drink. Coffee daily, every morning at work. Sometimes hot tea, maybe once every week or two not very often. I also drink stuff like coke zero, unsweetened ice tea, water, or something like a powerade or vitamin water with lunch, dinner, etc.

A vast majority of the foods you eat inhibit or reduce the absorption of iron. Coffee and tea both inhibit iron.

Adolescent iron deficiency is rather common, so this comes as no surprise. As is iron deficiency anemia in females. There may not be a genetic component to it...

Edit: if you're eating dark chocolate, this also inhibits irons absorption.

 

[RamboStallone]

A vast majority of the foods you eat inhibit or reduce the absorption of iron. Coffee and tea both inhibit iron.

Adolescent iron deficiency is rather common, so this comes as no surprise. As is iron deficiency anemia in females. There may not be a genetic component to it...

Edit: if you're eating dark chocolate, this also inhibits irons absorption.

No dark chocolate but I have been having large amounts of coffee almost everyday going on 4 years now. That would definitely explain it.

I've also had a massive loss of appetite lately and terrible acid reflux. It would wake me up at night sometimes. I've been using nexium the past or so and it's almost completely gone. Don't know if any of this is related?

 

[ionian]

A vast majority of the foods you eat inhibit or reduce the absorption of iron. Coffee and tea both inhibit iron.

Adolescent iron deficiency is rather common, so this comes as no surprise. As is iron deficiency anemia in females. There may not be a genetic component to it...

Edit: if you're eating dark chocolate, this also inhibits irons absorption.

Stewie, how dangerous is anemia? To be honest, I'm more scared of getting a cardiovascular event from high hematocrit. Comparing anemia to high hematocrit, would anemia be the lesser of two evils?

 

[RamboStallone]

No dark chocolate but I have been having large amounts of coffee almost everyday going on 4 years now. That would definitely explain it.

I've also had a massive loss of appetite lately and terrible acid reflux. It would wake me up at night sometimes. I've been using nexium the past or so and it's almost completely gone. Don't know if any of this is related?

I forgot to include that I have also been taking anywhere from 1g to 8g of vitamin C during these times as well. I used large amounts to help me with my back pain and to help my immune system while in a cal deficit. So if vit C helps iron absorption I was having a lot of it. So even if coffee was inhibiting it all the vit C should have helped correct?

 

[RamboStallone]

Stewie, how dangerous is anemia? To be honest, I'm more scared of getting a cardiovascular event from high hematocrit. Comparing anemia to high hematocrit, would anemia be the lesser of two evils?

Anemia will cause a slew of issues. The body will begin to utilize more of other vitamins and minerals to make up for it and you will have multiple deficiencies over time. Eventually get sick.

That's at least what I understand from the dumb down version of all the medical explanations. It may be lesser of an evil then say a heart attack or stroke, but it is essentially killing you slowly over time I would say.

 

[Phidias]

A vast majority of the foods you eat inhibit or reduce the absorption of iron. Coffee and tea both inhibit iron.

Adolescent iron deficiency is rather common, so this comes as no surprise. As is iron deficiency anemia in females. There may not be a genetic component to it...

Edit: if you're eating dark chocolate, this also inhibits irons absorption.

Bumping this thread, as my latest labs showed some Iron deficiency...

Stewie, when would you take iron supps? Once a day, twice? With meals, before meals? On an empty stomach?

Any food to NOT take iron with? Aside from the obvious calcium or zinc rich meals which are well known to impair absorption...

Thank you buddy!

 

[Kaladryn]

People come to this board for advise regarding health and fitness questions. Too me it seems people wait for the answer they want to hear and then side with that persons point of view. This is all fine and dandy with advice on different cycles and combos for a cut but I think with a subject matter of low HCT and hemoglobin it is unwise to just brush it off with a diagnosis that fits no better than any other options people have set forth. If I was to receive patients bloodwork and tell them it's probably such and such diagnosis there is no need to recheck blood work and take a relaxed stand point about it, I would be at the end of a law suit within weeks. I am not saying this to sound like a condescending dickhead but people need to realize that there is another human being many times with less understanding in biochemistry and physiology at the other end of the advice you are giving. It could well be something as benign as exercised induced anemia but to brush it off without the hint of a recheck or even just keep an eye on it is reckless in my professional opinion. A simple PCV test which takes less than 10 minutes to perform in office could even suffice just to make sure his HCT is bouncing back. Once again I'm not saying this in a rage or anything and it is just aimed at anyone specifically but please think about what you suggest to others regarding their wellbeing.

Exercise induced anemia is EXTREMELY common, and it fools GPs all the time. It is actually an EXCESS of knowledge that my information comes from, not a lack.

Did I ever say "do not retest"? You are a moron.

 

[Kaladryn]

Bumping this thread, as my latest labs showed some Iron deficiency...

Stewie, when would you take iron supps? Once a day, twice? With meals, before meals? On an empty stomach?

Any food to NOT take iron with? Aside from the obvious calcium or zinc rich meals which are well known to impair absorption...

Thank you buddy!

I know this was meant for stewie, but I would recommend taking a vitamin C supplement with iron rich meals instead of taking an iron supplement.

 

[Kaladryn]

Stewie, how dangerous is anemia? To be honest, I'm more scared of getting a cardiovascular event from high hematocrit. Comparing anemia to high hematocrit, would anemia be the lesser of two evils?

It is rarely "real" anemia, it's just an increase in blood volume showing up as anemia. Destruction of RBCs from training and increase in blood volume often go side by side.

Again, this is an EXTREMELY common condition, probably every person gets it at some point in their lives.

 

[Phidias]

I know this was meant for stewie, but I would recommend taking a vitamin C supplement with iron rich meals instead of taking an iron supplement.

For Stewie or any knowledgeable member, which is of course your case, Kaladryn! BTW thanks for the quality of your contributions, you're one of those I can say I always learn from and love reading their intelligent/informative posts.

The thing is I already take anywhere from 1.5g to 2.5g vit C daily... but it's true on the other hand the iron content of the foods I eat has been very low lately, especially since I don't consume any meat and have considerably reduced my overall kcal intake for lack of appetite...

Why do you seem to think it's not such a good idea to use an iron supp? Poor absorption? Sorry if I missed the part you already addressed the issue...

 

[Stewie]

Stewie, how dangerous is anemia? To be honest, I'm more scared of getting a cardiovascular event from high hematocrit. Comparing anemia to high hematocrit, would anemia be the lesser of two evils?

This is determined by the degree of iron deficiency with or without anemia. And percentage of hematocrit, as well the etiology (cause).

With iron deficiency you are at risk for Afib, increased platelet aggregation causing platelets to become more sticky, increasing the possibility of stroke. You are also at an increased risk of infections, reduced exercise capacity, insomnia, long-term iron deficiency increases your risk of cardiomyopathy, peripheral neuropathy. There's many other pathophysiologcal fallouts from iron deficiency anemia.

I'd soon not try to compare the two. Both have detrimental consequences.

I know this was meant for stewie, but I would recommend taking a vitamin C supplement with iron rich meals instead of taking an iron supplement.

I'm not certain your reasoning behind your statement? Unless your concerns are an increase in his hemoglobin? If that's the case. I can tell you from personal experience, as well as a few members here that has a very minimal effect on increased hemoglobin mass or hemoglobin packed celled.

If that's not the case, I'm curious to your reasoning's.

Bumping this thread, as my latest labs showed some Iron deficiency...

Stewie, when would you take iron supps? Once a day, twice? With meals, before meals? On an empty stomach?

Any food to NOT take iron with? Aside from the obvious calcium or zinc rich meals which are well known to impair absorption...

Thank you buddy!

Personally I would assess how iron deficient you are. If anemia is involved absolutely do not use a food source as your primary means of increasing your iron. It will take several months in order for you to retain a healthy iron/ferritin status. If not longer.

Avoid eat nuts, oats (grains in general), calcium containing foods, eggs, spinach, kale, beets, chocolate, tea, coffee, strawberries with iron heme foods. There are a few others that inhibit iron absorption.

You can take iron with or without foods. You may find it may upset your stomach without food.

I do have to run, I'll give you more information if you'd like.